What can we do about Shore's lagging SAT scores?

Pressures of college-determining test can be overwhelming; educators and mentors are needed to help

As school systems debate concepts such as "value-added modeling," there is one statistical determinant that plays a significant role in nearly every college-bound student's educational career: the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

The test has grown somewhat out of fashion in recent years, and we are always hearing that many institutions of higher learning are finding other ways of measuring their perspective students. But - for good or bad - the SAT is the backbone of the college admissions process.

SATs are given to high school students in their junior or senior years. It is an intimidating experience: three hours long and highly pressurized, it has triggered anxiety attacks aplenty. The weight of it all is overwhelming to a teenager, as the reading, writing and math scores will be deciding factors in the increasingly competitive college admissions process.

SAT scores probably say more about the student than the school system the student worked in. Teachers can only do so much to prepare their charges for the tests. Successful preparation for the grueling SAT process is perhaps more related to creating a culture in which students are aware of what the SATs will be asking, and taking the proactive steps necessary to succeed.

Still, there is reason for concern on the Lower Shore. According to a statistical analysis conducted by The Daily Times, Lower Shore school districts' composite average SAT scores have continually been lower than the average scores elsewhere in Maryland. It's never good to trail the state in any educational category, let along one that has so much impact on a student's ultimate educational career.

In 2011, Worcester County's composite mean SAT score was 1412, Wicomico's was 1407 and Somerset's was 1250. The average for the state of Maryland was 1492 that year, and among Maryland public schools, the average was 1472. The composite mean SAT score is the sum of average scores for each of the 2400-point test's three sections - critical reading, math and writing.

Of 2011's graduating seniors, about 53.2 percent in Somerset, about 64.5 percent in Wicomico and about 68.5 percent in Worcester took the test, according to a Daily Times analysis of 2012 Maryland Report Card data.

The Lower Shore pubic school systems all offer test preparation classes of some sort, but it wouldn't be out of line to observe that these prep exercises aren't enough.

Exposure to the SAT - teaching test-taking strategies, ensuring familiarity with the test, promoting coursework in certain subjects - are a personal, cultural exercise that demands family attention and development. Teachers can't be expected to produce strong SAT results; like so often in education, the commitment begins at home and is inspired in the classroom.

To be successful, a student's mentoring and support structure needs to be strong. And, there needs to be a commitment from educators that displays a desire to prepare students for access to the best-possible college or university.

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What can we do about Shore's lagging SAT scores?

As school systems debate concepts such as 'value-added modeling,' there is one statistical determinant that plays a significant role in nearly every college-bound student's educational career: the